Solitarius
by KathyBoPeep
Summary: A revival of sorts. How could X/G be reunited all these years later? You'll see.
1. Chapter 1

A sharp wind cracked against a young boy's cheeks as he climbed a small hill. The satchel on his back pitched first to the left with the wind and then the right as he overcorrected, nearly throwing him over the edge. Years of climbing this hill had seasoned him to the harsh climate - many a time had he rolled back down the muddy terrain. As he reached the crest of the grassy knoll with a heaving chest he stood, tossing a dour look behind him. Once he began to march again, a snapping below caused him to topple and nearly roll back through the tall grass he'd just ascended. He looked down and rolled his eyes, of course his sandal would break halfway through this behemoth of a hill.

He prayed to the gods that he would be paid extra for his speed. In this heat, no one was really out doing anything but swimming in the river. The ladies at tavern he was delivering to had been telling him for years not to venture out if the conditions outside or his health were poor. They were nice to him, as were most of his customers. But the oldest woman had a kind twinkle in her eye that made him comfortable - also the frequent tips and food were a plus.

At just eight summers old, he was the fastest way to get a message anywhere. One time, he delivered a message three days away in only two days. That was what he told people when the asked why he was always running around towns instead of playing with the other children. His own mother had died some summers ago, so he'd gotten a job doing the thing he was greatest at - running around. Maybe he'd get some food from them today too. If not, there were plenty of Inns in the next town that would give him scraps for work.

Deciding that no shoes was better than one, he strapped the sandals to his pack and walked the rest of the rough trail barefoot. He would be fine, he'd taken his path probably more than a hundred times since he'd begun his career as a messenger. He opened the small gate within the huge wall with his key - a gift from the household. It meant a lot that the family trusted him so much. Why they kept the tavern walled in like a prison he did not know.

After a little bit more walking he saw the familiar old porch up ahead. He had heard many a tale about the ghost and spirits that haunted the old tavern behind the wall. But, he assumed that those people had never actually been brave enough to visit with the women who lived there. He only really knew the elder woman. There was blonde lady named Sarah who was his late mother's age, and a tiny girl younger than him who never spoke more than a word to him. When she answered the door, she would alway sneak him treats or toys. He'd tried asking if they were related but the little girl wouldn't tell and her grandmother ignored him whenever he asked.

Last solstice season, he had taken a whole pouch of scrolls from four days away, and travelled back to the tavern in time for the Solstice festival and they'd given him double the money and fed him until he could not fit another bite in his stomach. He'd accidentally fallen asleep at the table and he had woken to a pack of leftover food, a thank you note that was unsigned, and a small toy lamb. He'd ran out of the house, not ashamed to say that the dark tavern was very scary in the middle of the night.

Just when he was about to knock, the door flew open and youngest girl opened the door. She smiled at him and waved to him, curls bouncing every which way. She'd never spoken to him before, but he didn't have conversations during most of his jobs anyway. He smiled back and waved back. Once he slid his bag off to get the messages, the girl made a grunt type noise at him. Before he could ask what she was doing, the girl stepped outside the door and shut it behind her. She motioned for him to stay quiet and then to follow her. He nodded and looked curiously at her while he tucked the scroll back into his pack.

She grabbed his hand and tugged him around the side of the building. He winced as his bare foot made contact with an errant rock but he did not make a sound. They ran through the grass and rocks all through the back yard and into the wall of trees behind the property. He was curious about where they were going but also a little worried for his safety. The girl stopped running and he stood next to her trying to catch his breath. The noises of the forest were punctuated with the yells of a lot of people. It sounded like a huge party was going on. When he finally looked up at the site before him, he gasped in amazement. There was nothing, no one: no animals and no people. All he saw was trees for miles and the setting sun. But where had the noises come from?

He heard a branch snap above him and a muffled cry. He and the small girl gasped in unison. The forest went silent and fear rose within him. Quickly the girl tugged on his arm and they both took off towards the front of the Inn. Once they reached the front, the girl ran back up through door and slammed it shut. He stood there for a minute, dumbstruck. What had just happened?

Just as quickly as she'd disappeared, the young child opened the door again - this time accompanied by Sarah. The older woman smiled at him and handed out a bag of food to him. She looked down and frowned at his bare, dirty feet and tossed him an irritated look.

"Where are your shoes?"

He shrugged off his pack to show her the broken strap, "Broken ma'am."

"Well we can't have that. I'll have mother fix them. Do you have a few minutes?" she asked him, stepping back into the house with the door open.

This was his only stop today and his only plans were to take a swim in the river before heading back to town. He nodded as she opened the door and he slipped in, careful not to trek too much filth into the tavern. His tiny friend was nowhere to be seen so he turned to Sarah for direction.

"You can sit on that chair over there, that way you won't track mud everywhere. Goodness me, I forgot how dirty little boys could get." She winked a him. "It's been a long time since we had any here. I'll be right back!"

He waited patiently and tried his best to be still. The young girl appeared around the corner after a while and looked both ways before sneaking over to him. She handed him another pouch and motioned for him to hide it. He stuffed it into his bag with the other one and smiled at her.

"What, what was that I heard back there? It was forest was talking!" he whispered quietly to her.

"It's a secret; can't tell no one," she whispered right back. "Gramma's coming, gotta go!"

Footsteps could be heard again and the little girl ran out of sight as the older woman walked slowly into the room holding his repaired shoes in one hand and a glass of water in the other.

"You know, I told Sarah to tell you not to come here if it's too hot! There's nothing important enough to give us that can't wait 'til the next day. Okay? Now, let me see what you brought."

Quickly she traded the glass for the pack of scrolls ,and he waited diligently to see if she was going to send a response. He watched as she mouthed the words out loud. He couldn't read lips or letters so he didn't try to be nosy. He was a messenger not the town gossip. As she read, he studied her with great detail. He had never really talked with her. She looked like any town elder, although she wasn't as old as some of them. Her hair was still mostly black with grey streaks throughout, and her face looked like she spent most of her days smiling. She looked up at him, which startled him into looking at the floor hurriedly.

"Thank you for bringing this today. I won't have a another message for at least a fortnight. Could you come back then?" he nodded and shut his pack.

"Thank you ma'am, I'll be back then. Thank you for fixin' my sandals. I think I need to look into some boots." he muttered as he stood to leave.

"I'll make you a deal, son. Come back in two weeks, and I'll have some boots here for you too. I appreciate all that you do for us. I know we are hard to get to and you have never let us down. What's your name?" She patted his head gently.

"Mathias, ma'am." he held his hand out to take hers.

"Nice to meet you," she took his hand gently. "My name is Lila."

Far off the in the distance he heard yelling and the whole house seemed to explode with action. People ran in the door clutching a body. The woman who was being carried had a bloody wound on her head. It looked pretty bad.

He took this opportunity to slip between the crowd's legs and dart out of the front door. Whatever had just happened, it didn't seem good. He briefly considered peeking around the Inn to see if he could find the noises in the forest, but deep down he know that being nosy never helped anyone. Plus, his brow was sweatin and if he didn't get to the river soon he'd probably pass out.

He descended the grassy hill, imagining what he could have heard. Next time he came here he would ask them what it was.

 _Hey yall! I'm just testing the waters with Xena fic! Feel free to message me anywhere (kathysuxx on insta and twitter) with feedback if you're not down for reviews. Gabs is introduced soon and Xena will follow! :)_


	2. Chapter 2

Darkness was everywhere around her; swallowing her like a chilled, oily quicksand. It embraced her senses and pressured her mind. Every thought she had was permeated by the contagious syrup. It was quiet, yet deafening. She took deep breaths and was surprised to not hear a single noise coming from her lungs. She exhaled quickly, trying to provoke the silence with no success. She was helpless; the darkness slipped between her lips and down her throat. She gagged on nothing, feeling so completely overwhelmed by the pool of darkness she was drowning in.

A harsh jerk pulled her from the silence, she felt the whoosh of it coming back up and out of her. It pushed her away like a scorned lover and shoved her to the ground. Disoriented, she hit the cold floor with a thump and gasped for breath. The back of her head burned with a fiery pain from the impact and for a brief moment she believed herself to be dead. Many hands wrapped around her and rolled her over. The harsh sunlight burned her at her eyes and she prayed for the darkness to return. Her vision was blurry, a kaleidoscope of nature and bodies.

Arms made their way under hers and she was pulled to her feet. Many voices rang out but she was not coherent enough to recognize any of them. She felt her head grow heavy as she finally succumbed to the siren's song of slumber.

Some time later, a cooling sensation woke her from her sleep. Slowly, and with great difficulty, she opened her eyes and found that the bleary eyesight from waking up would not dissipate no matter how many times she blinked it away. The world around her was pitching to and fro- bringing up the seasickness that had not plagued her in decades. Mostly because she hadn't set foot on a godforsaken boat of any sort in many years. She felt her breakfast climb higher and higher. She slammed her eyes shut, praying to anyone to end her pain.

"Hey now, don't move," A voice whispered in the blurry room. Was it Lila? The cooling sensation happened again. The splashing sound of water seemed so far away as the damp cloth was placed over her eyes again.

"Wh-" She tried to speak but the pounding behind her eyes started it's drumming twofold.

"You were knocked out of a tree, Gabs. You're getting too old to be running with the children. I don't care what lesson you were teaching the kids. Let the teacher you hired do her job." Lila, lectured her once more.

Gabrielle just grunted in response. Being unconscious was looking better than being scolded like a pup. Lila was the only person who could make her feel like a petulant child.

After a few beats of silence, both women sighed. Gabrielle shut her eyes and grabbed a pillow from the stack next to her and placed it over her eyes.

"Okay, be like that. You're always so quick to get defensive! Oh, and before you throw a tantrum. Yes, your scrolls made it from Virgil. Everything is okay. Sleep." Lila stood and left the room in a huff.

Gabrielle exhaled slowly, hoping to ease the pounding in her head. It had been a long time since she'd been taken so off guard. It was really her fault for not being aware of her surroundings. She was teaching the youngest class how to hide and call each to each other in the trees. She was right in the middle of explaining how to listen beyond the natural noises when she'd spotted Kalliope and the messenger boy on the edge of the woods. Those two beats that she spent trying to see what they were doing ruined the whole rhythm of the lesson. At least she showed the girls what _not_ to do. It was still blurry but she'd probably been knocked out of the tree onto the forest bed. Although by what, she did not know.

Her students, a gaggle of rescued girls from the a few villages away, were set to partake in their Amazon judgement in a few moons, so Gabrielle had been refining their skills by teaching technique thats would ensure that all of the girls passed. Then, after they all received their first weapons from their Blacksmith, they would be free to move on to the adult Amazon career paths like being cooks, scouts, or defense.

But, Lila's Granddaughter Kalliope was too young to participate and as someone who used to be in awe of the band of women warriors, Gabrielle understood the envy. The larger-than-life band of matriarchal warriors was so...romantic in a sense. She knew it was only time until the small girl would be interested in learning the Amazon Way but that she didn't expect that to happen so soon. Maybe she would talk to her niece Sarah about starting her into the new band of girls arriving. Perhaps after the Joining ceremony.

Many, Many summers ago, an emotionally beaten and very broken Gabrielle had washed up on the shores of Greece with nothing left to give. Her soulmate, her partner, her lover, her everything was gone. There was no purpose to life anymore. Her parents were dead, Cyrene was dead. She hadn't heard from Lila or Sarah in a very long time. She didn't even know what day it was - the time between the awful boat ride from Jappa and her stepping foot on Grecian soils was unknown. Still in mourning, Gabrielle spoke to no one and only ate when forced. Only once during her trip home was she visited by Aphrodite in a dreamscape only to forget most of it when she woke. This self-inflicted time of spiritual mourning carried on for quite a long time.

Penniless, emaciated, and emotionally vacant. Gabrielle went to the last place she'd felt safe - Meg's tavern. Even though Joxer was gone and Meg nowhere to be found, Virgil still was around and had a healing effect on the bard when he was near. When she'd arrived, he'd taken her into his arms and they'd wept for all they'd lost in the past. Soon, they packed their things and headed to Amphipolis. Every night they'd talk about their families, their loves, and make plans for the future. Sometimes they spoke of the Elysian Fields and how their relatives must be upset at how they were reacting. Sometimes they screamed at those who had left - especially those who willing sacrificed their precious lives. Occasionally one would wander off for some time alone. This made their journey pretty long, but with nothing to live for and no one waiting for them, who was in a hurry?


	3. Chapter 3

Virgil and Gabs had gotten very close to each other on the long journey. One particularly poor night in Thessaly, after too much port and a lot of venting, Virgil had stopped them while walking home and taken her face in his hands They stood nose to nose under the moon. For a brief second, Gabrielle thought he was going to kiss her. The idea didn't seem to bother her, but she knew that she was thinking from a place of vengeance towards Xena and didn't view the man in front of her as anything more than a brother. To most of the people in the town they must've looked a pair of passionate lovers. Alas, they were simply two forlorn people who had dealt with more grief and despair than any human should have to endure.

Virgil had thickly whispered to her and she replied the same. Together, they made a pact. They promised one another that no matter what troubles they may find in life, they would make Gabrielle's scrolls and his poetry be known; that everyone in Greece and beyond would know the tales of Xena the Warrior Princess, and Gabrielle the Battling Bard. Gabrielle had sobbed on Virgil, muttering over and over that Joxer was a hero too and that Virgil's poetry about his father would be famous. Together they laid in bed that night, arms entangled and sobbing.

They'd awoken with a new sense of purpose and devised a plan: Virgil would stop in Thrace and hire a crew to transcribe Gabrielle's stories and scrolls to send to libraries all around the world. As an added bonus, he promised to tell her tales at all events at taverns and city celebrations. No longer would the names Xena and Gabrielle be a set of mysteries and gossip told in kitchens and servant's quarters. No longer would the name Joxer the Mighty be a crass, emasculating insult thrown to warlords under the table.

While he was building his literary empire, Gabrielle had trekked on. Once she'd gotten to Amphipolis, she'd paid the due taxes on Cyrene's tavern and claimed ownership of the building. No more than a few candlemarks into her new endeavor, she'd broken down and sprinted out of the tavern. She ran that like for so long, her legs went numb and only stopped to vomit on the road with no one but the moon to keep her company. She'd continued to jog at a much safer place and by sunrise the next morning could be found fast asleep at the foot of the door she hadn't seen in ages. When Sarah opened the door and started Gabrielle awake they had sat there for a minute. No one asked where the other half of her heart was. It seemed that everyone had simply understood. Gabrielle had been welcomed into the house by her niece and her sister for a while to heal and decompress.

Lila sobbed hard when she'd recounted the events of Jappa to her. It was obvious to anyone that Xena had not been her favorite but Lila had stated on more than one occasion that the Warrior Princess was a blessing to their family from the Gods. A few weeks later, Gabrielle, Lila, Sarah, and all of their belongings were on the road to Amphipolis with determined faces and aching hearts.

Now, Gabrielle had single-handedly built the foundation for a new Amazon Nation. The first year was cleaning and rebuilding a lot of the tavern. Virgil had come to visit with a couple of helping hands. They'd taken the stables and tripled the size to hold their horses and their weapons. Out back very deep into the woods had a large clearing for huts and training facilities. Inside was either given to newcomers, or used as a makeshift hospice.

Now many years later, Virgil esteemed bard of Thessaly - whos prose was sung from Greece to Chin - had formed a Bibliotheca where a team of scribes translated Gabrielle's scrolls into 8 languages and sent as far as they could get them. She would send him one via messenger and a season or so later, get the same scroll back along with a small update on the business. Sometimes she visited them when scouting for potential sisters, but it had been quite a while. Due to the rising number of Amazons developing and her aging body, Gabrielle's travels had dwindled significantly.

The first few years had been a bit slow. But, once they had acquired enough trained Amazons to form a scouting party that was bigger than just Gabs and a horse, the numbers had climbed exponentially. Now at almost 3000 sisters hidden away Gabrielle had found a new sense of purpose.

Every summer a band of Amazon scouts travelled to all corners of the known world looking for women and children who wanted to join in rebuilding the Amazon nation. Most of the women were widows and the children, orphans but even then they always came back with almost triple the women that they left with. Sometimes they were friendly, sometimes not. But, she always made sure to acquaint herself with all of them and to form relationships with all of the women - especially the ones who left their homes with nothing but the clothes on their back. Every time a new batch of recruits came, Gabrielle would recount her story of becoming an Amazon during a large welcome dinner. Many times the dinner was a great experience, usually a large celebration of new life and destinies. Those who were with child were honored as well, for birthing the continuation of a strong Amazon Nation.

Gabrielle made it a specific point to be at every birth within the girls were kept as Amazons in the camps along with their families. The boys were taken to Virgil and his community for education and boarding. It was common for families to go back and forth between the two camps. The Amazon Academy of Amphipolis and the Bibliotheca of Thrace were the two greatest things borne of such horrific loss and sadness.

Gabs laid back and tried to refocus her eyes to to avail. Based on her teachings from Xena and her days in the field, she estimated that the trauma to her head would heal in a few days. These next few days would be unpacking what Virgil had sent back and going over what the next batch of scrolls to him would be. If there was one thing she was terrible at it, it was being patient.


	4. Chapter 4

Hey y'all! I have this all mapped out and ready to write, but I'm heading into peak season at work (plus moving to a different state) so updates will stall for a while. Thanks in advance!

It was the smell that hit her before anything else. Sweet, almost like a berry jam, but not too gooey. She couldn't identify the exact taste but memories of indulging in similar sweet treats in her youth made her mouth water and her cheeks hurt. It didn't help that she seemed to be ridiculously hungry. But, that was something that the Warrior Princess had learned do in her years of travelling. Wait, why was she hungry?

She was dead.

Dead people aren't hungry.

Wasn't she dead? She had specific memories of her lips on Gabrielle's salty skin as she was transported by a force far greater than anything she'd ever encountered in wave of ethereal twinkles. After that, everything was blank - as if someone had stolen the memories right from her mind. Was this Hell? Was she doomed to live out a sentence of fleeting memories?

That was not what she expected.

She tried to open her resistant eyes and let loose a feral scream when the blazing light overwhelmed her vision until tears formed and spilled forth. A billion tiny starlights danced in front of her mimicking the shaking a dirty rug. Her lungs filled with a deep breath to scream again and the thorny scratch of the air tearing through her paperlike chest killed the yowl in her throat before it could even form. To even breathe felt like sharp grass slicing her flesh piece by piece. Her grip tightened on the edges of the wooden pallet she was on, making her joints crack in deep, echoing pops.

Where was Gabrielle?

What was this place?

Was she dead?

Maybe she was in Tartarus?

No. Couldn't be.

Xena quickly ignored the screaming in her bones as she moved her body slightly to get a better look at her surroundings. The pushback of her unused muscles was pretty intense. Every movement was a serious effort and she could already sense it would take a while to even get her mobility back to a fraction of what it was in her prime. There was something familiar about the sweet smell, the large ornate ceilings, and the very obvious...fur beneath her?

She quickly did the math and curled one lip in anger. What had that mad harpy done now?

"Aphrodite!"

She waited a moment and flinched when more light beams hurt her still-sensitive eyes. The recognizable tinkle of love bells echoed throughout the chamber and suddenly Xena felt a wave of warmth and comfort pour into her body.

"Hey Warrior Babe!" The bodacious blonde seemed very excited. "I've been waiting for like a millenia for you to wake up!"

Xena's eyes widened. Was Aphrodite dead too? She didn't look dead. Honestly, she looked the same as the she'd remembered her, tall hair and all.

"No, silly!" the Goddess rolled her eyes. "I saved you. Hello, a 'thank you 'dite' would be pretty appropriate right now."

Xena groaned, of course the Aphrodite could read her mind. They must be on Olympus, or whatever survived the twilight of the Gods.

"What..how?" Xena paled. "Those four-"

"-ty thousand souls. We get it. It's okay! I pulled a few favors and batted my Lashes o' Love at a few important deities. I've been healing you slowly! Since I'm the only Olympian God around, my powers have kinda dipped. It's a major bummer but that's how it unfolded." The Goddess motioned for her to get off the stiff wood she'd been lain on. Xena looked around where they were. Everything was a varying shade of pinks and purples and almost everything sparkled. It was almost cute in a fairy princess type of way. If fairy princesses kept well-oiled men in collars around. She opened her mouth to ask Aphrodite if she'd seen Cupid lately but changed her focus when she realized what the Goddess had said.

"Only god on Olympus? Ares?" Xena sat up and groaned at how stiff she felt. It was no secret that the God of War was a permanent thorn in her side. Even after seducing her with tales and promises of great power many, many years prior, the oblivious man-child would always have a special place in her heart. Dare she say...she kinda liked him?

"Ugh, he decided that Greece wasn't happenin' enough for the God of War. You can find him going by Mars in Rome. But, don't call for him, he won't answer. He's completely cut ties with us." Aphrodite shrugged and looked morose for a moment. After a few seconds of silence, the Goddess looked up and let out an exasperated sigh.

"Xena, just ask. Seriously." I can FEEL how much you want to ask - it's okay."

"Gabrielle?" the crack in Xena's voice was very noticeable. She didn't even have the full details of her resurrection worked out but the only thing she truly cared about was her soulmate, her lover, her best friend. She could definitely handle a world without Ares. Gabrielle, though, was not a negotiable clause.

Aphrodite sighed and nodded a few times before she shrugged towards Xena.

"She's had it rough, Babe. She almost didn't make it off the boat from Jappa. It was bad. I don't even like to think about it - I get the heebie jeebies. For a while I didn't feel anything from her; no emotions at all. She's much better now, but I can feel how much she misses you. She looks pretty good too. I mean, for a mortal. She looks better than most do after a twenty year sob fest."

Xena's jaw dropped and her hands flew in the air. She'd estimated that she'd been on Olympus for a season or so, not an entire lifetime!

"Twenty years!" Xena cried out, the defeated words contorting into a sorrowful howl. "That's a whole lifetime!" Not only had she missed out on even more of her daughter's life, she'd likely missed out on the majority of Gabrielle's too. Would they even remember her? She'd spent more time away from Gabrielle than with her. Eve had barely even known of her? Two decades was an eternity to be alone.

"I said almost, geeze! Also, I couldn't heal you faster without losing my immortality and ruining everything! I mean, you look hot too! Being in the dark is good for the skin!"

"Can you take me to her?" Xena hopped off the pallet and grimaced at the pain that trickled down her legs.

"Hey! Be careful! I healed you but you're still not as spry as you were when you weren't dead. Oh Gods, that is such a weird thing to say."

Xena walked tentatively towards one of the many mirrors in the Goddess' lair to inspect herself. She noticed that her hair was much longer than it was back in Chin. It was messy and snarled, the exact same way it had been during her years as a warlord. How fitting. Back where she started. Other than that and a few small changes to her face, there really wasn't much of a difference from the last time she'd seen her own reflection.

"Can you take me to her?" the vulnerable warrior asked again, almost afraid of the answer she'd get.

"See, I would. But, I can't leave Olympus anymore. Since I'm the only one here now, every time I leave the powers keeping it hidden start to fade. If a mortal finds us here, it could be the end for me." Aphrodite frowned and shrugged. "I can, however, drop you back down with the mortals. Would you like that?"

"So I could find Gabrielle myself? I can do that. Do you know where she is?" Xena asked, already stretching her limbs. She slowly went through some basic combative moves and started working out the kinks in her muscles.

"I don't, I'm sorry. I looked after her for a long time. But, eventually she stopped talking to me. She probably thinks I've abandoned her. Oh, this is so upsetting!" Aphrodite collapsed onto a large cushion that appeared underneath her and started to fan herself. "I can feel her love, same as any mortal. But, I can't see her, I hope you understand."

"So she hasn't forsaken love?" Xena's breath hitched as she spoke.

The Goddess looked appalled at the suggestion - her hair clips bobbing with the incredulous head bobble she gave Xena. "Uh, no! I'm offended. Gabs? Give up on love? Do you even know who you're talking about? Did that big giant death nap make you a big giant dummy?"

Xena laughed off the half-hearted insult and threw her hands in the air. "If she still believes in love I will find her. Where am I getting dropped?"

"I'll drop you on the foot of Olympus." Aphrodite looked like she wanted to say something else but kept quiet.

"Of course. That's fine. Closer to home than Jappa. Do you have my weapons?" Xena felt like a part of her being was missing without the familiar weight of her leathers and accessories. Something about parading around society with just a night shift and a stiff neck didn't seem appealing.

Aphrodite shot her an innocent look and backed away towards the

"I don't, actually. Gabs took them all when she left Jappa. All i can give you is one of my dresses and some dinars. Before you get mad, it's actually a good thing because no one - God or human - knows you're alive. You'll have to lay low babe, I don't want anyone to meddle with this." 

"So let me get this straight," Xena started with a grimace. "You steal my body, take twenty years to revive me only to drop me on earth with nothing?"

"I mean when you say it like that!" The Goddess' lip started to tremble.

"I'm sorry Aphrodite! Come here. I'm just grumpy." Xena held her arms out to the blonde in front of her. When they embraced, she placed a kiss against Aphrodite's blonde-brushed temple and whispered, "Thank you."

"You're welcome! I know it's not fair, but you and Gabby are my favorite mortals. You've both been to Tartarus and back trying to get your happy ending. I sure hope things work out. Oh, and when you see her, give her a big ol' kiss from your favorite Goddess and remind her that I'm still here for her."

Xena arched an eyebrow and laughed when the Love Goddess winked back at her. She paced nervously and eventually hopped from foot to foot as she waited for the familiar sensation of being teleported by a God surrounded her. She closed her eyes and let the feeling envelop her. As her body transcended time, she let herself be filled with the joy that she was now alive and in the same world as Gabrielle.

But would Gabs still be the kind-hearted Amazon that Xena had left all those years on the seas of the far east? Hell, was she still in the far east? There was only one way to find out.


	5. Chapter 5

The sweet song of birds rang throughout the room, rousing Gabrielle in the softest way possible. Slowly, she came to her senses. The air around her was crisp, new. Minus the ache at the base of her skull, she was pretty comfortable. Too many years of being jolted awake by enemies or nightmares had made any quiet morning a momentous occasion worth celebration. As she aged, the errant twinge of pain or the faltering of a joint became an all-too-familiar occurrence.

How Xena stayed spry after thirty summers was a question the aging Bard would love to ask her. If her warrior had played along, Gabs assumed that she'd get some answer about her juices flowing during battle and various crude comments about private times. The conjured reality was uplifting but a morose reminder of her lack of both Xena (and her juices) and any intimacy. Her self-imposed vow of celibacy was for everyone's sake. The thought of forming a bond with anyone sexually gave Gabrielle such a panic that it seemed far easier to just not partake. Her life choices were not made easily, but to be able to focus on her family and her nations were the only priorities she allowed.

Sunlight started to peek into the room, coating everything in buttery light. Gabrielle sat up in bed, ignoring her body's protests, and took a moment to stretch. The various noises that her body emitted were only a little questionable. For someone who'd spent more than half of her life sleeping on rocks and being beaten, she was doing pretty well. After a few rocks for momentum, Gabrielle stood on the chilled floor and limped towards the large window that sat in the corner of her room. She climbed out the window and carefully sat on the wood paneling of the roof below her. It had been quite a while since she'd slept in the tavern, and even longer since she'd taken residence on the roof.

The same sunlight that coated her room, now shone on her face and illuminated her body. It's warmth surrounded her and wrapped her in an intimate embrace. There were so many beautiful colors that the bard wished for artistry to be able to capture the image forever. Pastels all across the sky made the bard's heart sing. The unworthy, simple words she could only muster would be nothing if not insulting to the vast expanse of natural beauty ahead. The hills glistened and for a moment she pretended there were diamonds littered amongst the property.

A cluster of birds sat on the wall, calling out to everyone. Some jumped down to the field to look for critters, while others took flight and sped about in the sky. The untouched display of nature sparked a long lost feeling in Gabrielle's heart.

It had been so long since she'd performed any pieces, let alone written any prose. It seemed that her inspiration had left her. She had transcribed most of her journeys with Xena, but the final scroll to be penned was still very much a work in progress. However, if her basic calculations were correct, she and Virgil wouldn't even need to broach the subject for many a summer. So, she consistently left the task for a different day. It seemed unimportant compared to some of the more pressing issue she was facing. In only short while, the new Amazon class would partake in their judgements. Quickly after that came the Amazon Joining - an event that was getting harder and harder to stave off.

The Amazon joining was a tradition that Gabrielle has resurrected a few years after gathering a good number of amazons. The act itself was less about pairint people off, and more about a celebration of families new and old.

Most of the women who joined were partnered romantically. Some joined together just to start a family unit within the nation. Marriage was not something forced in the nation, however a vast majority of the women eventually paired off - or in some rare cases - joined with more than one other Amazon to form a group instead. To join with someone meant to share quarters, funds, children, or even responsibility within the nation. As the Queen and founder of the Nation, she was expected to be joined with someone to set an example.

She could be exempt if she were a widow, but _that_ was a sore subject. No one dared to mention technically she was not a widow. Not unless they wanted to be on patrol for a few years straight. Few had broached the subject of whether Xena had been classified as an Amazon. However, there really was no final say now that Artemis and her entire first generation of Amazons had been wiped out.

Her elders and council never once made her feel as if she was in the wrong for staying alone. However, she felt like a fraud every time she recited the speech and holy words during the ceremony. To speak of such love and bliss within people yet sleep in solitude every single night was a piss poor example. Even as her former relationship became less and less known with the new wave of Amazons, she could see the curious looks from every new member every time the chair next to her sat empty. The whispers between women were not quiet nor were the rumours true. Every wave of women brought something new. It could have been humorous had the thought of filling that seat not give Gabrielle panic like none other.

Something else was happening as the times went on: She and Xena went from current heroes and local stories, to being known as martyrs of love to the known world. The scrolls from Virgil were having their desired effect. Less and Less people knew of Xena: Destroyer of Nations being changed by a small annoying dollop of a girl. Instead, younger bards and tavern stories were about Xena the Warrior Princess and her great love Gabrielle the Battling Bard. The warrior women of Greece were now told as figures. No one seemed to know what happened to them or how their story ended.

It was so strange to be considered famous yet not be recognized. Anyone who'd been alive during Xena's reign of terror was either too old to care or had moved far away from the small town. The only people left who knew of her demise were who was left of Gabrielle's family.

It made it particularly easy for Gabs to lay low. She witnessed firsthand what it was like to have notoriety in villages. After seeing the amount of absolute centaur shit Xena had gone through for some sort of redemption, she was not fond of being famous any longer. Even if it pained her to no longer to sing tales in towns or even delight the masses on Solstice eve; the safety of being anonymous in a quiet town made her life so much easier. The anger, however, was something she'd never quite gotten over. Every mention of the "path of the warrior" or something similar sent her into a berserker fury that usually ended in bloody fists or a wretched hangover.

Sometimes she wondered how Eli would feel about her fury towards his teachings and ways.

Actually, she thought about this pretty often.

Maybe Gabrielle wasn't upset with the quest itself.

Maybe she was mad at Xena for taking the coward's way out. It was complicated, truly. Her feeling lay unpacked - not too different from her writing supplies in her room.

In all her years on this earth, never did she think she'd ever call Xena a coward. In fact, she surely had pulverized men who had done the same thing. In their case, they were speaking to Xena as a simple woman - a piece of fuckable furniture that talked back.

But in Gabrielle's case, it came from years of untested love and pain. So much pain. Her lover had taken the easy way out. She couldn't even admit it to her until the last very minute. Every story told called Xena a hero tried and true. No one ever mentioned how she'd dodged scrutiny for her cowardice.

Perhaps it was because no one other than Gabrielle truly knew who Xena was. Beyond the leather and steel; below the self-sacrificing gestures and sarcasm that snapped like her whip. Gabrielle had been privy to some of Xena's most intimate moments. From talking to her brother to burying her son. From finding a daughter stolen from her arms, and a town that turned it's back on her mother. Xena had faced a lifetime of heartache with nothing but a curt nod and the occasional drink. So, for her to completely disregard all of Gabrielle's trauma and simply disappear from her life made her the epitome of cowardice.


	6. Chapter 6

An hour or so after the sun rose, Gabrielle woke from her small nap on the roof. Her head was aching while her lungs hurt something fierce. Crying herself to sleep was something she had not done in a very long time. It wasn't that she hadn't processed Xena's passing - she truly had many, many moons ago. Still, this latent anger over her misfortune was curious. Perhaps she had buried her feelings a little _too_ long. It was something she notorious for. At least this time the furies hadn't manipulated her into a frenzy. No, this was not something dark forces had caused. Her emotional instability was caused by plain, old human-esque grief. She had dedicated every waking moment to rebuilding her family and Nation. Years and years of sunrise to sunset labor. But, as the dust cleared and life regained some sense of normalcy, anger and sorrow appeared left and right like ancient bones in the sand.

Maybe she _was_ mad at Xena for taking the coward's way out. It was complicated, truly. Her feeling lay unpacked - not too different from her writing supplies in her room. Neither would make an appearance any time soon. It still hurt to think that after all their time together, that she was left out of one of the most important decisions Xena had ever made.

Perhaps it was because no one other than Gabrielle truly knew who Xena was. Beyond the leather and steel; below the self-sacrificing gestures and sarcasm that snapped like her whip. Gabrielle had been privy to some of Xena's most intimate moments. From talking to her brother to burying her son. From finding a daughter stolen from her arms, and a town that turned its back on her mother. Xena had faced a lifetime of heartache with nothing but a curt nod and the occasional drink. So, for her to completely disregard all of Gabrielle's trauma and simply disappear from her life made her the epitome of cowardice.

Lila had tried like Hades to get her to open up about her past to no avail. The only information Gabs would offer was what was public knowledge in her scrolls. They'd lost touch. Their bond as sisters had tried desperately to withstand the test of time but alas it had suffered damage; _she_ had suffered too much damage. When Lila had followed her back to Amphipolis, Gabrielle could _feel_ their bond and how fragile it had become. They were still close but never again would they be as close as they were in their youth. She was a stranger to her own family. Even so, she was a stranger to herself.

The heat from the springtime sun beat down on her face once more. Warm beams invigorated her soul. She smiled. No matter how heavy her heart was, the sunshine could always raise her up. The unworthy, simple words she could only muster would be nothing if not insulting to the vast expanse of natural beauty ahead. The hills glistened and for a moment she pretended there were diamonds littered amongst the property. A cluster of birds sat on the wall, calling out to everyone. Some jumped down to the field to look for critters, while others took flight and sped about in the sky. The untouched display of nature sparked a long lost feeling in Gabrielle's heart - she had the urge to pen her feelings.

The day looked to fair well, too bad she was still banned from leaving her room. Maybe later she'd convince her family to let her indulge in a bath, alone. It had been far too long since she'd relished in such a luxury. Perhaps she would craft an articulate argument about the healing power of warm baths. Considering most of her hygiene was performed in the makeshift banya in the Amazon camp. It was fully functional but not designed for comfort, in true Amazon fashion.

Over the years, the Amazon territory had been slowly increasing. First, Gabrielle had purchased the property on either side of the tavern. It seemed that the elderly farmer was relieved to have some coin in his pocket. He'd told her that the days of Amphipolis being a productive farming town were gone. After a few dinar and quite a bit of travelling supplies, the man had left her with the property and everything on it - including a large barn filled with hay and older weaponry. He'd said goodbye and set off on one of their horses.

Then, she bought all of the land behind the tavern. Her total land was about a day's ride apart. When questioned by the local magistrate she simply told them that Xena's last wish with her riches was to turn her mother's tavern into a peaceful farm. So, to do that she'd needed all the land around the tavern. Once she'd dropped Cyrene's name, they'd agreed fairly quickly and only came once every few years to see if they were fairing alright. Perhaps they townspeople were still afraid of the horror and haunt that plagued the area many years ago.

Now, the land was generally quiet minus the occasional traveler who couldn't read the warning signs to stay off the property. But, more times than not, the scouts would be able to get them to leave peacefully. For a little bit there was a worry that anyone turned away would tell the townspeople about the leather-clad women with bows and arrows. Gabrielle had suggested that they start to dress the Amazons on the perimeter as male farmers. Soon, the problems with strangers seemed to taper off. Go figure.

Staying hidden was one of the main priorities of the Nation. At least, until they were strong and large enough to split into two. While that time was drawing near, no one was rushing it. Most everyone thought of them as wiped off the earth, so to start afresh with no immediate enemies was very helpful. It always amazed Gabrielle how much they could get done when they weren't constantly on the offensive. Upon further discussion, it was found that none of them had ever _not_ been on the defensive so the change was nice for everyone.

Sweat began to form over her brow so Gabrielle decided that she was not going to mope this day away. She may be banned from Amazon duties, but that didn't mean she was banned from being human. Considering that a vast majority of her family and friends were dead, to squander life seemed disrespectful.

She climbed back through the window and winced as her bones protested the awkward movements. It was a reality check at just how quickly she could lose her trained mobility and dexterity. Her daily yoga had been stopped along with her drills thanks to Lila - who seemed more of a keeper than a sister as of late.

The stairs were dark, so she took them gently. No need to add another injury to the pile

"Kallie!" Gabrielle called out into the dark hallway. When she got no answer, she walked further into the home and looked around.

No one was around. Maybe they'd all gone to the market.

The market.

It had been quite a while since she'd stepped foot into the town. When she first moved back in with Lila and Sarah, Gabs had always taken walks into the heart of Amphipolis. The bustle of farmers and songs of the wives were comforting to her. Some of the town asked where they knew her from but she always evaded the truth by saying she was from a few towns over. There was no need to stir up trouble, especially in Xena's hometown. Sarah and Kallie usually sold the produce from the farm there. It was enough revenue to keep the farm running, and it didn't call attention to them.

Gabs wandered into the kitchen area and sat down at the bar. She almost wished for someone to fall ill or go into labor in the Nation so she could have a soul to chat with.

She saw a bundle on the table and hopped down to inspect it. She carefully unlaced the leather strings to reveal her scrolls from Virgil. She briefly remembered Lila telling her that they'd arrived right after her accident. She poked through the parchment until she found the one from him. With a squeal she jumped back up onto the counter and settled into read it.

After a few lines, her eyes started to water. As much as she enjoyed the safety of staying within the Nation, she really did miss Virgil quite a bit. It was refreshing to hear all about his travels with the boys from the village. Quite a few of them had graduated from his school and gone on to become instructors, almost doubling the size of the staff. To see that there was a whole generation being raised to embrace life without the Olympian gods was incredibly rejuvenating.

As she read on about his life, she gasped and dropped the scroll on the ground. How could Virgil have kept this secret so long? It hadn't been that long since she'd visited...had it?

At that precise moment a loud noise startled Gabrielle. The door flew open and her family bounded in, arms full of crates and sacks. They were chattering away, Kalliope dancing around them all with a half-eaten fruit in her hand. Sarah looked overheated, likely from carrying all of the purchased and walking the whole way into town. At least someone in her family had inherited her fear of horses.

"Hey!" Lila yelled. "You're not supposed to be up! You're injured!"

Gabrielle threw her hands up in defense and pointed to the scroll on the ground. "Did you know about this?"

Lila handed her bags to Sarah, who in turn set them on the table. With a curious look, Lila made her way to Gabrielle. When their hands grasped each other, Gabrielle let loose a few tears. She looked up at her sister's face. She looked concerned but not unsettled.

"I don't know what you're referring to. So I'm going to assume that I didn't know. Is something wrong?"

"He found her! Virgil did!"

For a moment Lila simply stared at her, as if she was running through names in her head.

"Who did he find?" Hands came up to her face and swiped the tears away.

"Eve! Virgil and Eve have been teaching at the school. I haven't seen her in so long!"

They embraced tightly, Gabrielle clinging to her sister's dress as Lila patted her head. It wasn't specifically good news considering no one knew the relationship between Virgil and Eve. Murdering someone's father was not something anyone took lightly - Gabrielle was very aware of that fact.

She stepped out of the sisterly embrace and bent to retrieve the discarded scroll. She read the last bits and nodded silently for a few moments. After she finished it she set it down and looked to Lila.

"It says Eve is bringing us some former Amazons she's found in her travels! We should expect her in the next moon or so."

"Who is Eve?" Kalliope asked, still munching on her fruit.

Gabrielle knelt down to her level and gave the young girl a watery smile. "Remember Xena the Warrior Princess that I tell stories about?"

"Yes, yes! She is awesome!"

"Yes, she truly is. Her daughter is going to come visit us. It's been quite a long time since I've seen her."

"Can I play with her?"

"Well, she's about the same age as me so she might not want to. But I'm sure she'd love to meet you!"

The child ran to her and embraced her, covering them both in a sticky fruit syrup. Well, she'd definitely need that bath now.


	7. Chapter 7

Back in her warlord days, Xena had developed quite the taste for pain. She wasn't necessarily a masochist (although she didn't really say "no" to anything). But, she was a firm believer that if you could feel pain, you were still alive. Sometimes, in dire situations that's all she could muster. Pain meant alive and alive meant that she hadn't lost the fight yet. Pain had been a meter of sorts; from childbirth to being crucified, there were many types of pain that had radiated through her mind and body. She'd gotten so used to it, that her tolerance had moved to acceptance. Was it troubling? Probably. Was it healthy? Probably not.

So, for Xena to wake in such pain that she physically cried out, meant that she'd either lost her touch or lost a limb. Beams of white hot pain bore into her eyes and her body began to tremble. She felt the whoosh of air around her as if she was falling at a breakneck speed. Birds echoed around her as she tried to shut her eyes against the light. Finally, the light disappeared and the feeling of being mangled from the inside out slowly faded out. Before she could relax and recoup, she slammed onto something hard and lost all consciousness.

After a while, Xena began to stir. She knew just from the tingle in her toes that she'd probably bruised something important. Nothing like when she'd been paralyzed and crucified, but still enough of an injury to keep her off her feet for a while. Well, for at least five minutes. Although at the moment, her brain couldn't quite comprehend the concept of keeping time. Nausea churned inside her belly, forcing her to screw her eyes shut. Her organs hurt. Not like cramping, but like someone had squeezed her insides like ripened fruit and set them back in a basket. Breathing was uncomfortable but at this point what wasn't?

A gentle _sorry warrior babe_ came from above and for a moment Xena wondered why Aphrodite was talking. Her mind was cloudy; forming coherent thoughts was proving difficult - perhaps her spine was not the only injury she sustained. Bile rose in her through, burning it's way to the top before it spilled out of her mouth, forming a hot puddle next to her hair. The smell alone was enough to force her to focus. Her current situation finally made sense, although why she needed to smack into a cave floor was still unknown.

After a few minutes of staring into the dark and contemplating her life choices, Xena finally surmised what had transpired with the goddess of love only a little while before. The memories were hazy, like she'd had dirt thrown in her eyes. However, the feeling of urgency never waned. She rolled over and grumbled when a sharp rock poked through the very thin garment she seemed to be wearing. That was probably why her fall hurt so much - leather broke falls so much better than a nightgown.

Slowly, the waves of nausea calmed a bit and the pain in her eyes faded to a dull ache. She rolled to her stomach and grimaced as she dunked her face in her pile of vomit. Carefully, Xena tucked her knees under herself and raised to her feet. A sharp pain stabbed her below her knee, causing her to falter a bit. She looked down and sighed audibly. Not again.

She hadn't needed to to do this since she'd been bucked by Argo ages ago during the mare's rebellious phase. At least then she had some leather to bite into. She placed a thumb on each side of her knee, inhaled quickly, and popped the bone back into place. The sound wasn't as bad as she'd remembered however the pain, well, the pain was the same. She'd definitely need to pack it with wet rags and limp for a while.

Despite the grind of bones in her knee, and the stars in her vision, she knew her pain was a gift. To be able to walk on earth again was something she would not take for granted. Many times she had died, but this time was different. Time had passed, it had been so long. So long since she'd ridden a horse, bathed in a stream, or simply spoken to someone. Xena cleared her throat and attempted to speak. Words came out, but her voice was small - meek. Her confident register had been tamed to a hoarse whisper.

With disjointed steps, Xena walked around the rock enclosure she had landed in. She reached for a torch on the wall and jumped, startled, as it lit itself. A voice inside her head whispered over and over.

"Go to her Xena, go to her."

Gabrielle!

The pound of her heart against her chest pushed blood through her veins like a churning river. Her arms and legs filled with purpose as she stormed out of the cave - her pain no longer an issue. She needed Gabrielle, she needed her soulmate. Even if the bard had taken another lover, Xena needed to see her. It was a yearning that pulled at her lungs and left her breathless. Where to start, she did not know. However, the urge to return home was nearly overpowering. She guessed it was either a dreadful bout of homesickness or the Goddess of Love was tinkering with her brain. Based upon the dreadful confusion she'd had, it was likely the latter.

Finally, she stumbled out of the cave and hissed as her toes made contact with the icy ground below her. Of course she'd been dropped right outside Mount Olympus. Aphrodite had told her that. She looked around to check out her surroundings and realized it was getting late in the year. The leaves on the trees were colored like fire and the ground was stiff, unforgiving. Soon snow would clutter the foot of the mountain and travel would be impossible.

Xena reached into the pockets of her dainty mud stained dress and pulled out a handful of dinars. It would be enough for some clothes and perhaps a few nights in some inns - that is if everything was worth the same as twenty years ago. Not that she'd paid full price with Gabrielle alongside her anyway. But, her companion's bargaining skills paired with Xena's general demeanor made for pretty inexpensive stays. When all else failed, Gabrielle could usually drump up a story just long enough to earn some coin. It had been many a year since Xena had heard her bard preach to a room. Too long.

Frozen twigs and barbs nipped at her feet as she trudged towards the setting sun. Hopefully she could find shelter during the night to avoid sleeping in the cold. A plan started to formulate, as did a secondary one. If she got to the docks of the Thracian sea too close to winter, it would be quite the delay. However, if she tried to make it to Potidea by foot and guessed Gabrielle's whereabouts incorrectly, she chanced being bound to the town until the winter season had ended. Especially since she had to stay low, which meant no fighting or causing a ruckus along the way.

Xena sighed again, her breath came in tiny puffs in front of her face. This trip, while worth it in the long run, was going to be arduous and lonely. For years that was her constant. However in her older years, she'd softened into warm animal fat. No longer was solitude appealing. In fact, it seemed to be a death sentence.

Her greater quest was to find Gabrielle.

For now, she would find shelter and new identity.


	8. Chapter 8

For years after Xena had died, Gabrielle found mornings to be particularly difficult to face. For the briefest of moments, she expected a warm hand on her shoulders or a thumb tracing patterns on the back of her arm. Even worse, there was no one to wake her. Many times Gabrielle had fallen behind on travel plans simply because she'd slept in so late. When times were bad, she would sleep so late that she owed the innkeeper another night's fare. Then the glutton in her came out. If she paid for another day of stay she would definitely take advantage of the food available. For years, she was expected to show up late( and sleepy) to almost any event. It had gotten so out of hand that she had accidentally slept through a minor city-wide scuffle in Therma and woken to a lot of things on fire and her cold food next to her bed.

After that she made herself a promise to be more regimented. If Xena had seen how she had been handling herself, she would have gotten quite the verbal lashing. She finally understood how Xena could rest but also keep an eye out for danger. Getting older and wiser did truly have its perks. Even if sleeping outside hurt her bones more than before, she would still take it over all the Inn-hopping she had done her whole life. Having a place to sleep no matter what took a load off of her shoulders that she truly hadn't considered until she was alone.

It had nothing to do with the fact that ever after many decades, Gabrielle still couldn't pick a good spot to camp to save her life. Sure it was fine. But, every time the bard settled on a spot, there was always an errant root or mess of thorns to greet her. But, no one knew that part.

Now, in her older years, Gabrielle only roughed it outdoors when teaching. For amazons, everything was focused on what was around you. There were no bedrolls, no cozy leathers. In training, and even in real life, you slept on the furs of whatever was close whether it was hay or hide. Fires happened if it was dry. If it was wet, the group slept together. Of course for training purposes, there were always blankets and warm water available, no one should die from cold while learning. The only goal for an Amazon was to protect her tribe or die trying.

She'd obviously trained many generations by now - it was a great bonding experience to lay out under the stars with tons of women. She didn't do it often, but after these ceremonies, Gabrielle felt a certain maternal drive. She had no children of her own. Instead she had hundreds of adoptive children who doubled over as the fiercest band of warriors this side of the world.

Gabrielle rolled onto her back and tried her best to see the animals in the sky. She thought back to when she did this as a small child with Lila. Even after leaving home, she'd continued the tradition with Xena. Of course the surly oaf would make jokes about how immature it was, but Gabrielle saw the twinkle in her lover's eyes when they talked about the sky animals and their lives.

Way back when, in the thick of her travels, it had struck her that as she gallivanted around the world, she saw the same stars in each place. It was something that kept her tethered during the most stressful of situations. The feeling of being small and insignificant trickled relief through her - she'd spent too long in the spotlight.

She truly appreciated the life she had made for herself. She'd worked like hell to get here. Blood, sweat, and tears followed her wherever she went. Sometimes in the middle of night, Gabrielle would wake with nightmares of everything she'd lost to get where she was. Yes, routine was comforting, but what was routine with the soul-crushing solitude that came with it? It seemed ungrateful. Would she trade her lover for her Amazons and family?

That wasn't a fair question but the answer would probably be no. Her years with Xena were the best she could even imagine. The love that poured between them was something Gabrielle after decades still could not manifest into words. But, life after Xena was...calm. Not peaceful. But, calm. The idea of forming any other relationships was overwhelming. So, instead of taking a lover and making a life. Gabrielle chose to dedicate every moment of her life to protect her world from knowing the pain of watching a lover die as the sun rose.

How does one even begin to explain the decades of trauma and pain she had endured in the name of her lover?

Virgil's note had spooked her more than she let on in front of her family. She didn't realize how many feelings came with seeing her family. Was Eve considered her daughter? The point was likely moot. Blood families were something that did not matter to her. Truly all that mattered to her was the sworn loyalty of her Amazons, and her small family in the tavern outside the Amazon nation.

They were similar in age, which had been a point of contention between her and Xena. They never could decide what to make of that knowledge. By the time word had gotten out that Livia was Eve, no one really gave a damn about the warrior princess. Their relationship was something that she really didn't have the words to explain. There was a deep, unconditional love that she felt for the child she quite literally, welcomed into the world. From the first time their eyes locked, Gabrielle knew she'd die for this child - and her mother. However, the ache in her breast during low times seemed to taper off as Livia had appeared and hurt Gabrielle in ways she could not even fathom.

Gabrielle didn't quite know where she stood with Eve? They had memories together, that was true. But, they'd never really discussed where they stood. She truly loved Eve as a daughter, and would love nothing more than to share this Amazon family with her. It hurt a little, thinking about Eve as her child. Hope had traumatized her, and quite frankly she hadn't come to terms with that part of her life. Perhaps when Eve arrived, they could spend a night in the forest under the moon and discuss the awkward and heart-wrenching bits of their brief history together.

Was she even entitled to call Eve hers? At this point they'd barely spoken and their only connection was Xena. Gabrielle resented Eve for a long time. Perhaps Eve felt cheated out of time with her mother? That was a line of thinking for a time further away from her cycle. Right now it was too close to the surface to think about. Right now she was needed as an Amazon, not an estranged parent.

The howl of the night time animals started to lull Gabrielle to sleep, for such drab sleeping conditions, she found that she felt better in the morning after sleeping outside. She could hear some of the girls in the distance giggling and making noises.

"Alright girls, I can hear you from here. Pipe down! You don't want Lila to come out with the paddle again!" Gabrielle shouted straight up into the sky.

A chorus of apologies came floating back and suddenly it was deathly silent. Perhaps the animals heeded her warning about her sister's paddle as well. It's not like she blamed them.


End file.
